Chapter 3: The Sandbox Foundation

That fateful collision on the kindergarten playground had erupted over a fiercely contested dispute regarding the proper structural engineering of a sandbox castle, setting the permanent tone for their lifelong dynamic of playful bickering and mutual respect. "If you put the wet sand on the bottom layer, the whole towering structure is going to slide right into the moat," Lily had pointed out with absolute, unwavering seriousness, her small hands planted firmly on the bib of her denim overalls. James had paused abruptly, squinting down at the crumbling pile of sand before flashing a wide, gap-toothed grin that would become entirely too familiar over the coming years. "Only if you don't pack down tight enough. Just watch this."